Chapter 3 - The Chemical Building Blocks of Life Flashcards
carbon
- Fundamental to life
- Bonds with C or other molecules
- Can form up to 4 covalent bonds
- Reduced C stores energy
- Can be bonded to functional groups with specific properties
hydrolysis
The breakdown of large molecules by the addition of water.
Polymers broken down into monomers.
dehydration synthesis
Formation of large molecules by the removal of water.
Monomers joined to form polymers.
denaturation (defn and causes)
- The change in the shape of a protein, usually causing loss of function, such as complete unfolding.
- Caused by pH, temperature, salt concentration
amino (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one N single-bonded to two H in “bent” shape, on end of molecule
- Found in: proteins, nucleic acids
carboxyl (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one C double-bonded to one O (above) and single-bonded to one OH (below) in “bent” shape, on end of molecule
- Found in: proteins, lipids
carbonyl (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: One C double-bonded to one O, in middle of molecule
- Found in: carbohydrates, nucleic acids
methyl (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one C single-bonded to 3 H, on end/outside of molecule
- Found in: proteins
hydroxyl (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one OH single-bonded to end of molecule
* Found in: carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids
phosphate (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one P double-bonded to one O and single-bonded to 3 more O in tetrahedryl(?) shape, on end of molecule
- Found in: nucleic acids
sulfhydryl (structure and macromolecules found in)
- Functional group: one S single-bonded to one H, on end of molecule
- Found in: proteins
amino acid
- Monomer that composes the polymers that are proteins.
- There are 20 different kinds.
- Joined by peptide bonds (covalent)
- Structure: a central C bonded to one amino group, one carboxyl group, one H, and an R group (which determines the unique character of the 20 different amino acids).
protein (defn and functions)
Polymers of amino acids. (shape and specific order of amino acid monomers determines the structure and function)
Functions:
* enzyme catalysts
* defense (anti-bodies)
* transport (iron in living things, bind O)
* support (can be structural, connective tissue, ligaments)
* motion (muscles contracting)
* regulation (turn on/off other processes)
* storage (of amino acids)
fatty acid
Long hydrocarbon chains that can be saturated, unsaturated, or polyunsaturated.
trigylceride
- A lipid.
- One glycerol and 3 fatty acids.
- Excellent energy storage, used by animals.
- Stores twice as much fat as carbohydrates.
- Saturated - solid at room temperature
enzyme
A protein catalyst - speeds up specific chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.
peptide bond
Links amino acids together in proteins through dehydration synthesis (covalent).
nucleotide (defn and composition)
- Monomer of nucleic acids.
- Consists of a 5-carbon sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose), phosphate, and a nitrogenous base (either a purine or pyrimidine).
nucleic acid
- A polymer of nucleotide monomers, connected with phosphodiester bonds
- Primarily either RNA, or DNA.
DNA
- Deoxyribonucleic acid
- double-stranded in a double helix, connected by H bonds.
- Nitrogenous bases consist of adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine.
- Mostly for information storage (built up). Read to build proteins. Also, genetic information stored in the sequence of nucleotides.
RNA
- Ribonucleic acid, single-stranded.
- Nitrogenous bases consist of adenine, guanine, uracil, and cytosine.
- Mostly for info retrieval (broken down). Reads DNA for protein construction (directs their synthesis) and genetic information.
lipid
- Fats (triglycerides) and phospholipids
- Hydrophobic (caused by high proportion of C-H bonds)
- symmetrical
phospholipid (defn and composition)
- Basis of biological membranes, with a polar “head” and non-polar “tails”.
- Composed of
- 1 glycerol
- 2 fatty acids
- a phosphate group
saturation
In fats, the maximum number of hydrogen atoms possible are bonded to internal carbons.
carbohydrate
- Molecules with a 1:2:1 ratio of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
- Good energy storage molecules (C-H bonds hold lots of energy)
- Ex: sugars, starch, glucose
monosaccharide
- A single 6-carbon sugar
- Very important in energy storage
- Ex: glucose, fructose
disaccharide
- 2 monosaccharides linked together (by dehydration synthesis). Used for sugar transport or energy storage.
- Ex: sucrose, lactose
polysaccharide
- Long chains of sugars, used for energy storage.
- Plant form is starch; animal form is glycogen.
- Used for structural support; plants use cellulose, animals use chitin.
fructose
A structural isomer of glucose (same molecular formula). The “fruit” sugar.
sucrose
A disaccharide of one glucose and one fructose. (table sugar) The form most plants use to transport glucose.
maltose
A disaccharide, used in grain for glucose storage.
starch
A polymer of glucose monosaccharides for storage, such as in chloroplasts.
cellulose
A polymer of glucose monosaccharides. Substance of cell walls in plants.
glycogen
A polymer of glucose monosaccharides for energy storage in animals. Stored in a branching structure (like a bush) to quickly store or release sugar molecules.
chitin
A polymer of a version of glucose (N-acetylglucosamine). Substance found in arthropods (like lobster shells) and fungi cell walls.
primary structure
Amino acid sequence in proteins. Backbone is always N-C-C repeating.
secondary structure
Protein structure when you add H bonding to a primary structure (alpha helix or beta pleated sheet).
tertiary structure
Final 3D shape of a protein with regions of different secondary structures. Shape determines its activity (proteins need a tertiary structure in order to function)
quaternary structure
The final structure of a protein, when multiple polypeptides are involved in tertiary structure.
alpha helix
Coiled shape of a protein in secondary structure, bonded in shape by H bonds.
beta pleated sheet
Bend-and-folded shape of a protein in secondary structure, bonded in shape by H bonds.
adenine
Purine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.
guanine
Purine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.
cytosine
Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.
uracil
Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found only in RNA.
thymine
Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found only in DNA.
monomer
The smallest unit of a polymer.
polymer
A molecule composed of many similar or identical molecular subunits (monomers).
isomer
One of a group of molecules identical in atomic composition but differing in structural arrangement; for example, glucose and fructose.
